The Sacrifice
by dragonsl5
Summary: The war is over and the price paid is high, especially for one Minerva McGonagall. A quick one-shot about the sacrifices we make in war. Rated M for a bit of graphic violence just to be safe


The following is just a quick oneshot i got the inspiration for while listening to the song contained in this fic, One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey. Consider it just something to hold you all over until i get the next chapter of my other story up. I don't own the characters or song, they are the property of J.K Rowling and Mariah Carey. Here's to hoping they don't mind me using them.

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Minerva stood in front of the coffin, running her hand over it, tears in her eyes as she felt the sadness and anguish flow through her once more. The woman she loved was dead, and worse than that she had never gotten to tell her how she felt. Turning around Minerva sat in an empty seat in the front row. The service was over but Minerva couldn't bring herself to leave. Leaning forward Minerva put her head in her hands as the tears she had been fighting all day finally broke through and started to fall down her cheeks. Her thoughts drifted to a memory that was barely 2 days old.

*****FLASHBACK*****

Harry stood in front of Minerva as she sat in a chair in the head of Hogwarts office, a small strange device in his hand. Harry extended his hand and, upon opening it Minerva saw two small pieces of plastic in it.

"They're called headphones you just take them and put them in your ears like so."

After demonstrating how to use the headphones, Harry handed them to Minerva and waited for her to put them in her ears.

"When Voldemort gave us the time to recover during the battle, she made me promise to make you listen to this if she didn't make it through the battle. She charmed it so that it could be used here a few years ago, said she missed the music from the Muggle world."

Nodding, Minerva put the headphones in her ears and waited, after a few moments she heard music beginning to play.

_Sorry I never told you_  
_All I wanted to say_  
_Now it's too late to hold you_  
_Cause you've flown away_  
_So far away_

_Never had I imagined_  
_Living without your smile_  
_Feeling and knowing you hear me_  
_It keeps me alive_  
_Alive_

_And I know you're shining down on me from heaven_  
_Like so many friends we lost along the way_  
_And I know eventually we'll be together_  
_One sweet day_

_Darling I never showed you_  
_Assumed you'd always be there_  
_Took your presence for granted_  
_But I always cared_  
_And I miss the love we shared_

_And I know you're shining down on me from heaven_  
_Like so many friends we lost along the way_  
_And I know eventually we'll be together_  
_One sweet day_

_Although the sun will never shine the same_  
_I'll always look to a brighter day_

_Lord I know when I lay me down to sleep_  
_You will always listen as I pray_

_And I know you're shining down on me from heaven_  
_Like so many friends we lost along the way_  
_And I know eventually we'll be together_  
_One sweet day_

_Sorry I never told you_  
_Together_  
_All I wanted to say_

As the song finished Minerva looked up to see that Harry had left, leaving her alone, but noticing that he had placed the device as well as a piece of folded parchment on her desk. Reaching out to take the parchment out from underneath the device, Minerva unfolded it and looked at the first line, immediately recognizing the writing as hers, a tear formed in the corner of her eye as she heard the words she was reading, spoken in that soft voice that made her knees weak, knowing that she would never hear it again.

"My Dearest Minerva:

If you are reading this then I am dead and hopefully Harry has defeated Voldemort. I am sorry I never got the opportunity to say the things I am about to write in this letter to you in person. It pains me to know that you will never get to tell me how you feel if you are reading this. I need to tell you, although I am sure that you already know, that I am in love with you. It may be hard for you to understand but, your beauty, kindness, intelligence, and bravery have captured my heart and I know that I would have been happy to be yours. I wish I could have known if you felt the same way but somehow I know that you feel the same, that you love me as I love you. I don't know what awaits me after my death, but if there is an afterlife, know that I will be waiting for the day where we will be together again.

With all my love,

Hermione"

*****END FLASHBACK*****

Standing up and walking back to the coffin, Minerva opened it again to reveal the body of her love, her brown hair cascaded around her head, her eyes closed and a smile on her ruby-red lips. Her eyes moved to the young witch's arm where the scar Bellatrix had given her during her torture at the Malfoy Manor. Allowing herself a small smile Minerva remembered the revenge Hermione got in ending the deranged witch's life before her own was taken from her.

*****FLASHBACK*****

The battle was raging around them and Minerva was looking around for Hermione, trying to find any hint of the bushy brown hair that belonged to the woman she loved. Finding it Minerva saw that Hermione was locked in a duel with Bellatrix. A smile formed on Minerva's lips as she watched the duel unfold as she fought one of the weaker Death Eaters. Pride rushed through her as she saw one of the few people who could give Bellatrix any trouble at all, calmly and with a fierce determination, pick apart her attacks and send them back at her. When Bellatrix finally got angry enough to let her concentration slip, Hermione attacked sending the Killing Curse at her with a look of pure anger in her eyes. A look of satisfaction passed over Hermione's face as she saw Bellatrix fall to the floor a look of utter shock and surprise on her face. Minerva watched as Hermione stood for a few seconds to enjoy the victory over the one who had tortured her so vigorously only weeks earlier. Unfortunately that was her downfall, another Death Eater saw her standing there and hit her with a Killing curse of his own. In that moment, seeing Hermione's lifeless body fall to the floor, Minerva snapped, firing off her own Killing Curses at every Death Eater in the Great Hall, making her way over to the one who had killed Hermione, none other than Lucius Malfoy. A cocky smile was on his face, his hood long gone in the fighting as he took in the rage radiating from Minerva.

"Is someone angry over the mudblood's death Minerva?"

Everyone who knew him knew that Lucius' fatal flaw was his arrogance, and it was indeed quite fatal as he laughed at the rage Minerva felt, she didn't give a second thought to sending a slicing hex at him, cutting him clean in half with its strength. Putting her back to the wall Minerva leaned down next to Lucius and whispered to him as he died, keeping her eyes on the fight.

"I hope you burn in hell Lucius"

*****END FLASHBACK*****

Wiping away the tears from her eyes Minerva leaned down and placed a kiss on Hermione's lips before moving to her ear and, ignoring the fact that she was dead, whispered to her.

"I love you too Hermione"

Straightening once more Minerva re-closed the coffin and walked away doing her best to fight the tears as she did. With Hermione's parents dead as well, Minerva had insisted that Hermione be entombed at Hogwarts, next to Albus. Knowing better than to argue with her, the Ministry had approved of her request and a few days after the funeral, a second pure white tomb was erected next to Albus' and Minerva could be seen writing an inscription on it with her wand before placing her hand on it and walking away. Anyone that wanted to visit the tomb would see the inscription:

"Here lies Hermione Jean Granger

The brightest witch of her age who gave the greatest sacrifice one can give so that others may live, free from the burdens of fear, hate and prejudice. May her sacrifice never be forgotten and her presence ever felt by the kindred spirits of her kin"

* * *

quite a bit more angsty than what I usually write in my opinion but hopefully you've enjoyed it.


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